Marion Ritchie (1806)

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Biography

Marion Ritchie was born in Renfrew on 8 April 1806 and baptized on the 15th, the lawful daughter to George Ritchie & Marion Ralston. ^[1]

On 8 December 1832 Marion married John McLardy in the Gorbals. Both lived in Tradeston, at this time the respectable western edge of the Gorbals. ^[2]

From there she had moved to the eastern or northern outskirts of Glasgow (Barony Parish) where her daughters Mary (1838) and Jean (1842) were born, back to Glasgow for the birth of her daughter Jean (1844), and then to Broomhouse (in Old Monkland Parish) for the birth of her son John (1849). By 1861 she had settled in Partick (at that time within Govan Parish).

In the 1851 Census the family were living in the village of Broomhouse, in the Parish of Old Monkland. John, aged 50, was described as a joiner, born in Glassary, Algyllshire, and Marion (44) as a joiner's wife from Abbey (i.e. Paisley) Renfrewshire. Their daughters Mary (13) and Jean (9) were born in Barony, Lanarkshire and Margaret (7) in Glasgow, Lanarkshire. All three were described as scholars. Their son John (2), born in Old Monkland, Lanarkshire was "at home". Also living with them was John's widowed mother Mary McLardy (79), formerly a seamstress, from Glassary, Argyllshire. ^[3]

In the 1861 Census the family were living at 40 Anderson Street, Partick in 2 rooms with one or more window. John (59) was described as a joiner, born in Lochgilphead, and Marion (53) was born in Paisley. There is no sign of daughters Mary or Jean (Mary, a domestic servant, was to marry Alexander McCulloch in 1866; there is no trace of any death or marriage record for Jean). Margaret (17) is described as a milliner and their son John (12) as a scholar. Margaret's birthplace is given as Springbank and John's as Monkland, both in Lanarkshire. ^[4]

In the 1871 Census the family were living at 37 Wilson Street, Partick. John (68) was described as a ship joiner, born in South Knapdale and Marion (64) as born in Paisley. Their daughter Margaret, a domestic servant, married John Allen that year and was no longer living with her parents. Their son John (22), also a ship joiner, born in Old Monkland, does still lived with his parents along with his wife Marion (23) and daughter Mary (4), both born in Govan (i.e. Partick). There are also three unmarried male lodgers: Duncan Gillies (24) a ship carpenter from Lochgilphead, Thomas Cross (36) a saw miller from Rossshire and Angus Smith (24) a blacksmith from Stornoway, Rossshire. ^[5]

In 1874 the index to the General Register of Lunatics in Asylum recorded the admission of Marion McLardy or Ritchie, Govan. The details of this source have not yet been checked. It seems though that any episode of mental illness must have been temporary, as she was listed as living at home with her husband by 1881. ^[6]

In the 1881 Census John and his wife were living in a single room at 4 Russell Street, Partick. John McLardy (79) was described as a coal agent born in Lochgilphead. Marion (75) was born in Paisley. ^[7]

As their children moved out they took in lodgers, and if the description on her husband's death certificate is to be believed in his last years he launched out as a ‘coal agent’. This term can be ambiguous: it can simply mean coal merchant, or can refer to a particular layer of middlemen in the coal retail trade. I remember that as late as the 1960’s coal, the universal domestic and industrial fuel, was delivered by a huge network of local coal merchants, by lorry then on men’s backs to the door in hundredweight sacks. In the 19th Century a horse and cart would have been used rather than the lorry. Everyone had a coal bunker where this stuff was stored. In Glasgow tenements this could be up four or five flights of stairs. It was not work for old men. Even supervising coal delivery could be strenuous and dirty work. The capital involved was not huge, but nor was it negligible. At the very least you would need to own or lease a horse and cart, and somewhere to stable them, horse feed and the wages of at least two men. With more capital others (or in some case the same merchants) would lease a siding and sheds from the railway company. I find it puzzling how even a well paid craftsman could amass this sort of capital, and how an elderly man with no background in the trade, and whose son was presumably employed full time in quite different work, could manage the labour required. A possible clue might be provided in the record of Marion's death in 1886. Her father George Ritchie, by then deceased, was described as having been a coal hill clerk. So there may still have been connections with the coal trade from her relatives. ^[8]

Marion's husband John McLardy died on 21 April 1884 at 8.30 a.m. in the Western Infirmary Glasgow (usual residence 4 Russell Street, Partick.) He was aged 83 years. He was described as a coal agent, and married to Marion Ritchie. The cause of death was enlarged prostate 1 year 6 months., and renal complications. The informant was his son John McLardy, of 27 Crawford Street Partick. ^[9]

Marion McLardy died on 15 December 1886 at 0.30 p.m. at 24 Crawford Street, Partick, aged 80 years, the widow of John McLardy, joiner (journeyman). Her father was given as George Ritchie, coal hill clerk (deceased), and her mother as Marion Ritchie M.S. Ralston (deceased). The cause of death was given as old age, as certified by James Buchanan M.D. The informant was her daughter in law Margaret McLardy (present). ^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ Old Parish Registers Births 575/ 20 294 Renfrew. Page 294. 11th Record on page. 15/04/1806.
2. ↑ Old Parish Registers Marriages. 644/2 70 91 Gorbals. Page 91. Record 17?
3. ↑ 1851 Census 652/ 4/ 12-13/. Page 12-13. Record 42. Parish of Old Monkland. Village of Broomhouse
4. ↑ 1861 Census 646/ 2 4/ 48. Page 48 of 63. Schedule 307. Parish of Govan . Town of Partick.40 Anderson St. 2 rooms with one or more window.
5. ↑ 1871 Census 646/ 3 7/ 8-9. Page 8-9. Record 37. Civil Parish of Govan. Police Burgh of Partick. 37 Wilson Street.
6. ↑ GENERAL REGISTER OF LUNATICS IN ASYLUM. MCLARDY or RITCHIE, Marion Govan 1874
7. ↑ 1881 Census 646/ 2 9/ 25 Page 25 of 51 Schedule 106 Civil Parish of Govan. Police Burgh of Partick. 4 Russell Street. 1 room with one or more window.
8. ↑ Statutory registers Deaths 646/3 691 1886 Deaths in the District of Partick in the County of Lanark Page 231 Record number 691.
9. ↑ Statutory records Deaths 644/ 9 429. 1884 Deaths in the District of Kelvin in the Burgh of Glasgow. Page 143. Record Number 429.
10. ↑ Statutory registers Deaths 646/3 691 1886 Deaths in the District of Partick in the County of Lanark Page 231 Record number 691.